Torrid Ice
by AndAnotherOneBitesTheDust
Summary: We all have our breaking points. He's long since passed his. Endeavor will get his dues for his actions and if any hero tries to get in his way... They'll be greeting the afterlife sooner than expected. (Villain!Shouto Todoroki AU) [WARNINGS: Mentions of Abuse, Schizophrenia, Mental Breakdowns]


A/N: Recently got into the My Hero Academia fandom, and I'm going to say this first: I'm in love with Shōto Todoroki and Dabi. I absolutely love the Dabi Todoroki theory and fully support it. BUT, this story is immediately jumping into the Villain!Shōto thing. Characters that will appear in this story and play somewhat of an important role are the following, with refreshers on their Quirks:

Heroes:

Izuku Midoriya – One For All

Katsuki Bakugou – Explosion

Villains:

Shōto Todoroki – Half-Cold, Half-Hot

Dabi – Unnamed Fire Quirk

Hero Killer: Stain - Bloodcurdle

Tomura Shigaraki - Decay

My explanation for this Villain!Shōto AU: It's pretty simple, actually. So, Shōto was abused as a child, Endeavor wanting his kid to start training to become the number one hero from an early age. The abuse wasn't just directed at Shōto. It extended to his mother, and made her have a mental break-down, resulting in the scar over Shōto's left eye. This could have been the straw to break the camel's back; it had the possibility of being the reason Shōto becomes a villain, instead of the main reason he becomes a hero—to prove a point to his father. Honestly, when I saw Shōto's origin story, I was surprised that he's in the Hero course in U.A., and not one of the main villains. This story was just the thought of: 'What if Shōto hadn't become a hero because of his dad?'. I just see it so easily; Shōto fully adopting Stain's morals and ideals, because his father is the number two hero. _Hero_ , and he abused his wife and child. I seriously think that would be a key thing in poisoning Shōto's view of heroes. There ended up being bits of schizophrenia in here, so expect that. I don't know why I ended the chapter the way I did, but that's just how it turned out. It's odd, I'll admit, and the italicized sentences are memories. Present time is regular-looking words.

Explanation done, I hope you guys enjoy this fic! Please leave a Review—they're really encouraging, and I love reading them. Tell me if I should continue or not, yeah?

Done talking! Enjoy!

* * *

Torrid Ice

" _They loomed as gods when you were young. Mom and Dad—the shaping ones. Instead of love, they taught you pain. Your childhood home was never safe. Now unhealed wounds have gaped for years. Distrust of self and plaguing fears. Replayed scenes within your brain. Apologies that never came. Your damaged heart, the place they haunt. Darkness their gift you did not want."_

—Dark Inheritance, by John Mark Green

* * *

Shōto stares up at the large, looming building that is U.A. Hero Academy. The golden gates seem to welcome those who are worthy enough to enter with a warm embrace, promising to do good by those select few; promising nothing but success and happiness once they've graduated the school. The cool fall breeze carries leaves in short flight and the sun radiates comfortable warmth. The trees around make soft, gentle sounds as the wind rustles their leaves.

He's glad he isn't one of those poor souls as he watches kids bustle past him toward the building with wide, awe-struck eyes.

Pulling the hood of his black hoodie over his head, Shōto turns and walks away from the building with hard eyes. He'd been like those other teens once, a long time ago. It had been a time before his Quirk had developed; a time when his father ignored him the way he did his other children; a time when Endeavor didn't beat on his wife and Shōto's mom.

A time when Shōto saw Heroes the way everyone else did.

A time of innocence and _ignorance_.

Just thinking about it makes Shōto scowl. Heroes being _good_. Yeah, right. There's such a thing as two-face, and not just the old Batman villain.

Two-faced people, while they may not actually have two faces, do exist. They act one way at home, but a completely different way when they're in public. They have façades—masks, that they use interchangeably, and heroes are no exception.

Shōto Todoroki knows this better than anyone.

Hefting his bag higher, Shōto blends with the crowds boarding the bus. People push and shove in their hurry to catch the bus. The air is humid, and all the bodies packed so close together do not help the heat any; the sun becomes scalding and the breeze a breath of hot air. The trees do not make a sound, and the leaves are flung about with the little amount of wind there is.

Expectations versus reality at it's finest.

Nobody gives him a second glance, and, if they do, their eyes quickly flick away.

Shōto's not going to pretend he doesn't know why—it's the same for many others. It's pretty hard not to notice the large burn scar on his face; the wrinkled and red skin over his left eye. If that isn't why they stare, it's because of his hair, or his eyes. His hair, that's parted down the middle, split between colors; his eyes, that are each different colors, the left one bright blue and the right a dull grey.

He doesn't care, popping in his earbuds with little difficulty and turning up the volume.

 _Endeavor's going to be upset._

No way, really? Of all the times for the voice in his head to start back up again…

 _When he finds you he'll burn you. He'll never let you out of the house—you'll be a prisoner in your own home._

Shōto grinds his teeth slowly. That's why he won't be caught, nor will he be found. He'll disappear the same way his brothers did.

 _Maybe Endeavor killed them._

The voice in his head can politely shut up.

 _Politely? Have you gone soft on us, Shōto?_

Shōto ignores the voice, instead thinking more about his brothers. He'd never interacted much with them, only having caught a few glimpses when he was younger. There had been one, though, who made it a point to see Shōto even after he'd gotten his Quirk. The brother's name escapes him, and for that, Shōto is frustrated. He can analyze a sentence and find hidden meanings within, but he can't remember his brother's name? Shōto can remember his brother had been the only other one to develop a fire Quirk, once showing him the blue flames as they licked his skin. The brother had red hair and blue eyes; had been one of the younger ones, only a few years older than he himself.

That's who Shōto is going to track down.

As time passes and the bus makes stops, more and more people get off, leaving several empty seats.

Taking one himself, Shōto thinks about his destination next. It's a different part of Tokyo—one he's never been to, and only heard stories about.

It's one Endeavor makes a point to avoid.

It's one Shōto's confident he'll find his brother still living in.

And if any goodie-two-shoes _heroes_ try "doing the right thing" and contact Endeavor to tell him about his favorite—and to the public, _only_ —son's whereabouts, well…

They should hope they're not well known, for the public's sake.

It'd be a tragedy if Shōto killed one of the public's darling _heroes_.

A shame, really.

* * *

 _He's just turned five._

The hiss of a bus stopping, then walking.

 _The sun is shining warmly as it sets, and mother is smiling as she gives him a present._

Hitched breaths.

 _Endeavor is there._

Shudders and a quickened pace.

 _He's angry, the flames on his head roaring larger._

Wide eyes and flashes of red and orange that aren't there.

 _Endeavor grabs the present, holding it in his hands and burning it to ash before his eyes._

Mutters under breaths and a small flame on his forearm.

 _He cries, tears cutting sterling tracks down his cheeks._

Running and ice that covers the other arm.

 _The second best hero turns to him, reaching out and slapping him hard enough for blood to shoot from his mouth. "I AM NOT RAISING A WEAKLING WITH SUCH A POWERFUL QUIRK. BIRTHDAYS ARE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE MASTERED THEIR QUIRKS. THIS IS A WASTE OF TIME, SHŌTO."_

Erratic breaths as the flames grow.

 _Training is extra hard that day, with mother locked in her room and never speaking a word._

Sprinting as the ice spreads.

 _Fire Quirk brother comes to see him that night._

A slowed pace and fire that begins to melt ice.

 _He mutters apologies and comforts his little brother._

Deeper, calmer breaths and the flames die down.

 _They talk about plans to run away, plotting together._

Jogging, then walking again, hands shoved into pockets.

 _Fire Quirk brother says he's leaving soon, but tells him where he's going._

Heterochromatic eyes look up at road signs, mind on a time long ago.

 _The youngest nods. The older smiles then goes to bed._

Shōto walks up to an apartment, the numbers and address he'd memorized burning at the front of his mind as he stops at room number 162.

" _Goodnight, Shōto."_

 _That had been two days before Endeavor burned the skin of his Fire Quirked son until he was nearly unrecognizable. Three days before he never saw the Fire Quirk brother again._

A hand that reaches up and knocks on the door.

A familiar—albeit older—face that appears when the door opens.

The voice of his memories, if slightly deeper.

"So we meet again, little brother."


End file.
